The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to a testing system for networking information handling systems.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Some information handling systems such as, for example, networking devices, may undergo a variety of performance and quality testing. For example, switch devices may be subject to “snake” tests that are used to analyze and ensure the stability of the switch device with regards to load capabilities, throughput capabilities, latency, RFC 2544 performance, and/or other switch device characteristics. In order to perform snake testing on a switch device having, for example, 48 testing ports, a user must prepare the switch device such that each pairs of ports between the 1st port and the 48th port are connected via a respective cable (e.g., a 2nd port and a 3rd port must be connected by a 1st cable, a 4th port and a 5th port must be connected by a 2nd cable, and so on up to a 46th port and 47th port being connected by a 23rd cable). The 1st port and the 48th port are then connected via respective cables to a load generator device, and the load generator device may be operated to send traffic to the 1st port such that it is routed by the switch device through all of the cabled ports and received back from the 48th port. The load generator device may also be operated to send traffic to the 48th port such that it is routed by the switch device through all of the cabled ports and received back from the 1st port. These bi-directional traffic flows may then be analyzed to determine the switch characteristics described above. The preparation of the switch device with the cabling, and the removal of the cabling from the switch device, is a time consuming process that can be subject to error and that typically takes much longer than the actual testing itself.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved testing system for networking devices.